The details of our road trip to our All-Star Vacation Home in Kissimmee, are nothing out of the ordinary which is a very good thing.
We met James & Brandi at a gas station on Scottsville Road just off I-65's exit 22. Aria was awake and excited about our trip. Before leaving their driveway at home Brandi shot this short video of my grand daughter ripping apart the "countdown chain" that her mommy had made for her.
We had breakfast at a Waffle House somewhere in Tennessee at an exit on I-24. That's where I took, my official first picture of the trip.
We met James & Brandi at a gas station on Scottsville Road just off I-65's exit 22. Aria was awake and excited about our trip. Before leaving their driveway at home Brandi shot this short video of my grand daughter ripping apart the "countdown chain" that her mommy had made for her.
Also while there I gave Aria some Disney stickers to help her enjoy the trip. She put one on right away.
Throughout the day as the miles passed we stopped for food and bathroom breaks. These breaks not only kept us a "fresh" as possible during the long trip but it also gave us time to interact with Aria.
When we stopped at a Chik-Fil-A in Georgia she was wearing a special shirt that told others why she was so excited.
I also got to keep an eye on her as she burned off some of her energy by playing on the indoor playground. Here she's peaking out of the wheel of an elevated crawl-through car.
Driving with and keeping up with another vehicle on a long road trip was something that I had not done since the caravan of cars going to Gatlinburg for James & Brandi's wedding in October 2009.
Overall, it was uneventful except for the adventurous trip through the congested traffic of Atlanta with Brandi driving behind me. She did a great job keeping up.
Overall, it was uneventful except for the adventurous trip through the congested traffic of Atlanta with Brandi driving behind me. She did a great job keeping up.
After about 11 hours, around 7PM on Saturday, we pulled up to the front of the gated community where we were going to be staying.
Our vacation home was on the corner of the same street where Paula & I had stayed back in December. The best benefit of this location was that we had plenty of parking for both our vehicles.
We gave James & Brandi the bedroom one the second floor and we settled in the one just inside the front door. The first exciting moment after our arrival was showing Aria the bedroom where she would be sleeping. She was excited to say the least.
Our vacation home was on the corner of the same street where Paula & I had stayed back in December. The best benefit of this location was that we had plenty of parking for both our vehicles.
We gave James & Brandi the bedroom one the second floor and we settled in the one just inside the front door. The first exciting moment after our arrival was showing Aria the bedroom where she would be sleeping. She was excited to say the least.
But the real surprise of the trip was revealed to Paula and me by Aria a few minutes after we had unloaded our cars.
I had just parked my car in one the extra parking space and was walking back to the house when Aria met me on the front side walk wearing another special shirt. She then very innocently told me something that was a real "game changer". Not just for our time in Florida but life in general.
The details of what she told me can be found in this post of my RH Factors blog: Aria's Got A Secret.
The news was given to us as a "just so you know" message because of the anticipated ill effects being pregnant would have on Brandi. It was, of course, wonderful news, and also gave us a perspective about this vacation, right from the start. It wasn't the most important thing any more. But still we were excited about our week again.
It was during our shopping trip to a nearby Super Target to stock up on food and other necessary supplies that all of us "hit the wall" in regard to our energy. It was about 8 or 9 'clock and we had had a very long day.
We drove back to the vacation home, put the groceries away and then called it a night. The next day was our first day in the Parks. We would start off big. The next morning we were headed to Disney's Magic Kingdom.
Coming in Part 5: Our day in the Kingdom. Plus, You'll never guess who's crying at Disney?
I had just parked my car in one the extra parking space and was walking back to the house when Aria met me on the front side walk wearing another special shirt. She then very innocently told me something that was a real "game changer". Not just for our time in Florida but life in general.
The details of what she told me can be found in this post of my RH Factors blog: Aria's Got A Secret.
The news was given to us as a "just so you know" message because of the anticipated ill effects being pregnant would have on Brandi. It was, of course, wonderful news, and also gave us a perspective about this vacation, right from the start. It wasn't the most important thing any more. But still we were excited about our week again.
It was during our shopping trip to a nearby Super Target to stock up on food and other necessary supplies that all of us "hit the wall" in regard to our energy. It was about 8 or 9 'clock and we had had a very long day.
We drove back to the vacation home, put the groceries away and then called it a night. The next day was our first day in the Parks. We would start off big. The next morning we were headed to Disney's Magic Kingdom.
Coming in Part 5: Our day in the Kingdom. Plus, You'll never guess who's crying at Disney?
